Brooklyn, Mass. – With less time for golf, Brooks Kopka said earlier this week that he wants to focus on the US Open. After two rounds, Phil Mickelson is now missing the cut, it is safe to say that attention has turned to golf due to some big names and unique stories.
So let’s make Kopka responsible.
Here are five things to look for when visiting a country club:
Loaded at the top
For a moment on Friday, the game’s top players were absent at the top of the leaderboard. But as soon as the afternoon wind blew, four of the top ten players in the world played.
After saving a double bogey with a 25-foot put on the third hole, Rory McIlroy took the lead in Saturday’s shot. Amidst the frustration and passion he showed in some holes this week, it is clear that McIlroy not only wants to end his eight-year drought, but also believes he can. And after a big win at RBC Heritage against LIV Golf London last week, McIlroy’s game is the right time for him and the game.
Meanwhile, Colin Morikawa is looking to win his third major and first US Open after topping the leaderboards with the best 66 of the tournament on Friday. Earlier this week, Morikawa said his game was not the best because he could not beat the Fed. If so, he doesn’t mind. The last US Open champion, John Rahm, drew with Morica on Friday. The Spaniard’s 67th, 14th Eagle helped him with just one shot back.
Rahman said of the leaderboard after his tour, “I think it’s a testament to the health and status of the game, including the players committed to the PGA Tour.” Of course, Scotty does what he’s been doing all year, Colin does what I do, I always try to do what I do. Well, this is for all of us. It’s funny because we all want to compete against the best and lose the best. “
Asked about the loaded leaderboards, McIlroy said bluntly: “That’s how we play.”
Schaffler in the shade
Friday suddenly equaled the world’s No. 1 clubhouse lead before anyone could fully imagine it. Schaefler started the day with an equalizer, hitting 2 overs early, then turned it in the blink of an eye and is now just 2 shots behind. Two birdies and a hole-out Eagle in the last nine have put him in the lead over the weekend, although much of the recent talk about the game has not happened in his case.
As Schaffler himself tells you, he likes the fact that even though he’s the top player in the world, he’s not on the tour like McIlroy and PGA champion Justin Thomas have been for the past few weeks.
“I think I’m the guy under the radar,” said Schaffler, who won the Masters in April. “I’ve been number one in the world for a while, and I don’t think so.”
“I can show up and do my work and then go home and relax,” Schaffler said.
So far it seems to be working. For the past two days, it seems that Schaffler has not performed at his best, and yet he is moving towards Saturday. But if Schaffler wins again and becomes the first player to win two major titles in a single year, as Brooks Koepka won two titles in 2018, it will be difficult for him to stay under the radar.
Other people
While the leaderboard was filled with top players in the afternoon wave, some relatives were still hiding in the unknown. Morikawa is led by 34-year-old Joel Dahmen.
Dahmen is not unknown – he has won three PGA Tours – but his performance since his first cut at the US Open on Friday has been amazing. Last Monday, Dehman tweeted that he had qualified for the US Open and needed a place to stay. He is now due for the weekend and has a lot of money – and maybe even a trophy.
Hayden Buckley is playing his second major since losing the cut at last year’s US Open. The Buckley Corn Ferry Tour is ranked 259th in the world. He has three professional wins.
Nick Hardy has a bit more experience on the way to the Corn Ferry Tour: he has played only three majors in his career. He missed two cuts and finished 52nd at the 2015 US Open. He realized he was in the field last Friday. He is now leading with 3 under and 2 wickets.
Matthew Nesmith is ranked 168th in the world. This is only his second major appearance (he missed the cut in 2015). Still, he is thrilled with his iron play and has combined two sub-70 rounds and is just 3 shots away from the lead over the weekend.
“I didn’t know I could compete with the big hitters in the distance,” Nesmith said. “But if you let yourself play, I’ll let my iron game shine. I love being in places like that and hitting a bunch of greens and see what we can do on the weekends.”
You don’t want to come to the seventh
So State Guru Justin Ray took to Twitter On Friday, 25 of the last 26 U.S. Open winners are tied for sixth or better after two rounds. Seventh place – or worse – this trend is enough in places where you don’t want to go on weekends. It’s not good for Schaffler (T-7), Matt Fitzpatrick, Sam Burns (T-13) and others. Weekends can be an exception to this rule. Schaffler’s record speaks for itself. Sam Burns, who is in Schaffler’s rented house this week, is also playing well until late; For the first time in his career, he has entered the top-10 in the world. Although he is not playing with Schaffler, Bayern said he is definitely following him.
“I’m a little upset because he hit me one,” Burns said with a smile on Friday. “It simply came to our notice then.
Fitzpatrick has a clear idea of the location after winning the US Amateur Championship in Brooklyn in 2013.
“I’ve tried not to have any hopes this week,” Fitzpatrick said after Thursday’s round. “I want to enjoy the week. I played very well here nine years ago. I have fond memories of this place, and when I’m out, I see the shot shots, and I look at those places. I was.” Just try not to put any pressure on yourself. It’s a golf course that I know I can do well and I’m just trying to enjoy. “
LIV update
As hard as Koepka wants to focus on LIV, it’s hard to do so when it was the most talked about topic at the country club this week. After two rounds, only four of the 15 LIV players (Bryson DeChambeu and Patrick Reed, who were committed to playing in the next LIV tournament in Portland) were cut. DeChambeau, Reid, Richard Bland and Dustin Johnson are all playing this weekend; No one is equal.
Johnson, ranked 16th in the world, is the best. He has completed 1 over and is 31st with 73 runs after an early follow-up of 68.
Johnson said there has been no difference in the reaction of fans since the release of LIV this week. And when asked just how fast he plays in the LIV event, Johnson Bothat was: “As fast as I play anywhere.”